2021 Ma Belle Fille Chardonnay
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Tasting notes
Wonderful clarity and brightness with basalt, flint, lime zest and hints of reduction that give the nose great intensity and subtle character. More volcanic rocks. Full-bodied and layered with such purity of fruit and great length. It opens on the palate and really talks to you. Hints of green apples, honeysuckle and seashells. Terrific finish. Drinkable now but you should wait and let it show its true excellence. Better in four or five years.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2021 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille is youthfully coiled at this stage, offering classy tones of crème brûlée, roasted almonds, spring honey and a slowly blossoming core of apricot and peach. The medium-bodied palate is bursting with perfumed layers ranging from jasmine to beeswax and toasty spice. It has a particularly silky texture, soft waves of fresh acidity and a long finish streaked with flint. It deserves plenty of time in the bottle to unwind. 1,661 cases produced.
Pouring a youthful yellow hue with silver highlights, the 2021 Chardonnay Ma Belle-Fille is ripe with fresh apricot, orange blossoms, and delicate baking spices. Full-bodied, with a fresh, clean texture, a rounded feel, and no harsh edges, the palate reveals fresh notes of cantaloupe, pithy citrus, vanilla, and flowers. Drink 2023-2033. Sir Peter Michael founded his eponymous winery in 1982, inspired by the wine of Chateau Montelena, which led him to California. In 2020, Robert Fiore took the helm as winemaker, while former winemaker Luc Morlet remains as a consultant. Robert studied at the Colorado School of Mines, which led him to a career in environmental geophysics before finding his path into the world of wine. He went on to UC Davis to study Viticulture and Enology. Most recently, Robert was a member of the winemaking team at Continuum in Napa. Vineyard manager Javier Avina has championed the land since 1991. Each of the sites are steep hillsides in Knights Valley that modulate with varied exposition and soils. Sir Peter’s son Paul and his wife Emily oversee the management of the winery today.
The 2021 Chardonnay Ma Belle Fille is airy, gracious and classy. It is also one of the more understated wines in this range. Hints of apricot, chamomile, spice, mint and orange zest are beautifully lifted. The Belle Fille is very much on the delicate side for Peter Michael, largely a reflection of elevation, the highest on the property. (AG)
About the producer
Founded in 1983 by Sir Peter Michael CBE and his wife Margaret, Peter Michael Winery produces some of California’s finest wines.